Specialty Seminars

Blacktown

Aged Care Nurses Seminar

Friday 15 September

Program finalised! For RNs, ENs and AINs in residential, community and hospital aged care settings, across private and public sectors, or anyone with an interest in the aged care sector in NSW.

Waterloo

Medicinal Cannabis Seminar for Nurses and Midwives

Friday 29 September

Hear from clinicians from Australia and Canada about the successes, the barriers and the future for medicinal cannabis in Australia.

Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol Nurses

Seminar

Friday 13 October

Hear from a range of speakers, network with colleagues, from residential, community & hospital areas, across mental health and D&A sectors.

Environmental Sustainability Seminar

Friday 3 November

Hear from a range of speakers, network with like-minded colleagues, from residential, community and hospital settings, across private and public sectors.

Child and Family Health Seminar

Friday 10 November

Hear from a range of speakers, network with colleagues, from residential, community and hospital settings, across private and public sectors.

WAGGA WAGGA

Nursing and Midwifery Roadshow

Friday 17 November

The NSWNMA is bringing an exciting and interesting education day to Wagga Wagga! Come and hear from speakers covering a range of nursing and midwifery topics.

TIME: start at 9am and conclude around 4pm. COST

2023 ASSOCIATION MEMBER TRAINING CALD Branch Essentials

20 – 21 September

9am – 5pm

NSWNMA Office

50 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo

Let’s get active to tackle workplace bullying and racism. Sign up for this course and learn how to make the most of your Union. Help solve workplace issues that are important to you, learn how to take bystander action to address racism and bullying and learn skills to have effective conversations challenging racism.

This course is open to all NSWNMA members and is free. You may also be eligible for free travel, overnight accommodation and pay for any missed work. Scan the QR code or go to

SHIFT WITH SHAYE Ask Shaye

It’s been quite a couple of months …

When it comes to your rights and entitlements at work, NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish has the answers.

Well, as the stories in this edition of The Lamp amply demonstrate, it has been quite a few months of frantic activity, much good, some still-reflecting struggles, but never static. Members across the board are either reaping the benefits of years of sustained struggle and pressure, or seeking new promises to be delivered on, or making sure commitments are kept.

Obtaining an improvement in pay or working conditions is a big thing, but to make it real, new entitlements as well as longstanding ones need to be implemented and enforced. Awareness and knowledge are the first important steps in ensuring this compliance. As always, let’s help this process by looking at some of your rights at work.

PHS: shifts in a row

How many days in a row can I be rostered to work in a public hospital?

Under Clause 4(iv) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award, you cannot be rostered to work more than seven shifts in a row without you requesting or agreeing to do so. Even if you do ask or agree, you cannot work more than 10 shifts in a row.

Posting a roster at Allity

I work in a nursing home run by Allity. What notice do they need to provide a roster?

Clause 12.1 of the Allity Enterprise Agreement (New South Wales) 2018 sets out that the roster is to be made available to employees at least 14 days before the roster period begins and displayed in a convenient place accessible to employees. The roster can be posted on a staff notice board or electronically on Allity’s intranet.

Span of hours under the Nurses Award

I am about to start work in a medical centre. My letter of offer states I will be covered by the NursesAward. What is the span of hours I can work, Monday to Friday?

Under Clause 13.1 of the Nurses Award, ordinary hours of work for a day worker are undertaken between 6.00 am and 6.00 pm, Monday to Friday. The shift length or ordinary hours of work per day will be a maximum of 10 hours exclusive of meal breaks.

Meal breaks

I work in an aged care facility run by Hall and Prior. When should I have a meal break on a shift?

Based on the understanding that your workplace is covered by the Fresh Fields Aged Care (NSW) No 1 Pty Ltd, NSWNMA, ANMF NSW Branch and HSU New South Wales Branch EA 2021, Clause 36.1 states that a worker must have an unpaid meal break after five hours. However, a nurse may elect to forgo the meal break, with the consent of the employer, if they work no more than six hours in the shift.

Workplace injury claim rejected

I was injured at work, but the insurer has now sent me a letter saying they are declining my workers compensation claim. How do I respond?

You should send the Association all documents about the claim (especially the letter from the insurer) so we can have the matter referred to and reviewed by NEW Law (assuming you were a member of the Association at the time of the injury). The Association can also assist with seeking from your employer, for example, suitable duties that are consistent with any restrictions you may have in place as set out by your treating doctor.

Notice to finish up at Uniting

I have worked at a nursing home operated by Uniting for four years. What notice do I need to provide before I can leave?

Clause 44.15 of the Uniting Aged Care Enterprise Agreement (NSW) 2017 sets out how to calculate the notice to be provided by a worker seeking to end their employment. As you have been employed for four years, the notice you would need to provide is three weeks.

Notification while on maternity leave

I am on maternity leave from a public hospital. Workmates have said that some changes are being proposed in my service that might affect my job. Is the hospital required to include me in any discussion?

Under Clause 34E(i) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award, if a significant change at your workplace is proposed, this should be communicated to you by the hospital, and you must be informed how any proposed change could affect your position. An opportunity for you to provide feedback must also be made available.

Casual shift length at Healthscope

What is the minimum shift length when working as a casual in a Healthscope hospital?

Under Clause 24 Part II (v) of the Healthscope and NSWNMA/ ANMF – NSW Nurses’ and Midwives’ – Enterprise Agreement 2020–2024, the minimum engagement (or payment) is three (3) hours for casuals.

Break between shifts under Nurses Award

What break between shifts do I get under the Nurses Award?

Under Clause 13.4 of the Nurses Award, a worker is to have a break of 10 hours between the completion of one ordinary rostered shift and the commencement of the next rostered shift. By mutual agreement between the employer and worker, the 10-hour break may be reduced to eight hours.

In-charge of shift

We are having issues in our public hospital ward as to when someone should be paid if the NUM is on shift, but is unavailable to take on the management of the ward. Is there any simple framework to apply?

The payment of this allowance is dealt with under Clause 12(v) of the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award. In short, you should receive the In-Charge allowance if the NUM is not rostered on duty or if the NUM is rostered on duty but the clinical day-to-day management of the unit is delegated to a nurse. If the NUM is on duty but not available, and has not delegated responsibility to anyone else, nurses on the ward should clarify with the NUM who carries that responsibility.

This allowance remains hotly contested in some LHDs despite the Association having a precedent case determined by the NSW IRC in 2014.